This invention relates generally to improvements in water bottles of the type used to carry a supply of drinking water or other selected beverage. More particularly, the present invention relates to improvements in cap and valve structures for selectively controlling dispensing of the bottle contents.
Small water bottles, canteens, etc., are well known in the art for storing and carrying a supply of drinking water or other selected beverage in a manner adapted for easy portability and immediate dispensing. Such containers are useful in many different environments to provide a convenient source of drinking water or other preferred beverage which otherwise may not be readily available. By way of example, such compact water bottles have become popular with bicyclists, wherein such water bottles can be mounted onto the frame of a bicycle. Similarly, compact water bottles are widely used by hikers, joggers, and other persons in the course of many different recreational, athletic, and/or outdoor activities.
In one common form, the water bottle comprises a compact bottle body having an upper neck defining a relatively wide mouth to permit filling with drinking water or the like. The bottle neck is adapted to receive a removable cap or lid which is often equipped with a poppet valve. The lid normally closes the bottle mouth, with the accompanying poppet valve being movable between open and closed positions for respectively permitting or preventing beverage dispensing. In this regard, a standard or typical poppet valve known in the art comprises an upright cylindrical body formed integrally with and extending through the bottle cap to define an outlet port, in combination with a reciprocal valve member therein to open and close the outlet port. Beverage dispensing is normally accomplished by inverting and draining the bottle contents. Alternatively, with a plastic bottle formed from a lightweight and deformable plastic material, the beverage can be partially dispensed by squeezing the bottle body to force the contents upwardly through the poppet valve.
Unfortunately, in some environments of use, bottle inversion for dispensing purposes can be undesirable. As one example, a bicyclist or jogger must divert his attention from the road at least momentarily in order to drink from an inverted bottle. Similarly, bottle inversion with its inherent requirement of bottle elevation can be especially undesirable in military combat situations. The use of a squeeze type bottle does not satisfactorily remove the disadvantages associated with bottle inversion, since a squeeze bottle still requires inversion for dispensing unless the bottle is in a substantially full condition.
In the past, many beverage containers have been proposed to include a drinking straw which can be used for beverage dispensing without requiring container inversion. In some instances, the drinking straw is integrated with disposable container packaging for insertion into the container when opened. In other cases, the drinking straw is preinstalled loosely within the container for access and use when the container is opened. In still other designs, the poppet valve structure includes a drinking straw which extends downwardly into the bottle to a position spaced slightly above a bottom wall of the bottle, as shown and described in the above-referenced Ser. No. 472,651.
The present invention is directed to further improvements in a cap and straw assembly for a water bottle, particularly for use with squeezable or rigid bottles and wherein substantially the entire contents of the bottle may be dispensed without requiring bottle inversion.